Happy New Year
by DancingRaindrops
Summary: Bringing in the new year isn't quite as happy when you have no one to share it with. Set after Sonny with a Choice. Dedicated to my forum friends.


A/N: So I know I'm a day late ;) I wrote this yesterday, but I wasn't able to get on the computer and post it until today, unfortunately. :P But even if you're no longer in the mood, I'd love if you obliged me and read this anyway ;D This story is dedicated to my dearest forum friends (Abbie, Tedds, Wills, Lex, A, Chas, Carma, Bekah, etc. :D). *hugs* Cheers.

**Happy New Year**

_No more champagne  
And the fireworks are through  
Here we are, me and you  
Feeling lost and feeling blue  
It's the end of the party  
And the morning seems so grey  
So unlike yesterday  
Now's the time for us to say...  
_  
She sighs to herself, setting down the glass that used to be full of champagne.

The once pristine tablecloth is riddled with stains and wrinkles, remnants of a party of epic proportions.

It's been a full ten hours since she first opened the door to the guests, bright-eyed and eagerly anticipating the new year.

Now, at six in the morning, she's looking out the window at grey skies and a bleak landscape.

The promise that last night seemed to hold has vanished.

It began at midnight, she supposes.

When the countdown ended and fireworks went off and couples kissed.

When she turned around and there was no one waiting for her with a smile.

When all her resolutions faded and the overwhelming sense of loneliness crept in.

She forced a grin onto her face, sipping her champagne and looking out at the exploding fireworks.

Tawni found her a few moments later, hugging her and wishing her a happy new year brightly, but it wasn't the same.

Bringing in the new year isn't quite as happy when you have no one to share it with.

The lights and noise of the party eventually died out as people trailed out the door, leaving empty glasses and a mess behind them.

Tawni, of course, retired to her room once the last cute guy left, leaving Sonny to herd everyone else out after two o'clock.

Exhausted and somewhat disillusioned, she poured herself one last glass of champagne and sat on the couch, where she had been sitting until two minutes ago.

Her phone buzzes on the table, the screen lighting up with a text message.

_Happy New Year.  
_  
It's from him.

And though it really isn't his fault, she's brought back to that moment, when she had never felt more alone than she did at the stroke of midnight.

_You too_, she texts back dully.

Happy freaking New Year.

_Happy new year  
Happy new year  
May we all have a vision now and then  
Of a world where every neighbour is a friend  
Happy new year  
Happy new year  
May we all have our hopes, our will to try  
If we don't we might as well lay down and die  
You and I  
_  
She surveys the trashed room, hands on her hips and a grimace on her face.

Cleaning up is going to be hell.

A knock sounds on the door, and though there really shouldn't be anyone there at this time, she goes to answer it.

She picks her way across the room, stepping delicately around empty pizza boxes and unknown splotches on the carpet.

Her once-beautiful white dress must be in an awful state by now.

The knocking persists, impatient now.

"I'm _coming_!" she calls out, unable to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

She twists the doorknob and pulls, somewhat shocked by the dented condition of the door.

"Having fun?" His wry smile is the absolute last thing she needs right now.

"No, actually. Thank you for stopping by."

Without another word, she slams the door shut and walks back over to the couch, ready to plop down and sulk a bit longer.

He walks in anyway, evidently skilled in opening unlocked doors, even if they have been slammed shut.

He's still wearing his clothes from last night, each article of clothing slightly askew but still looking spotless nonetheless.

If only she could say the same for the room.

"Sonny, I know you're mad at me, I just - "

"This really isn't the time, Chad."

She turns away, brushing him off as always.

It's easier than looking into his eyes, easier than facing what she sees there, easier than falling all over again.

"Of course this is the time. It's a new year, Sonny. It's time to start over."

_Sometimes I see  
How the brave new world arrives  
And I see how it thrives  
In the ashes of our lives  
Oh yes, man is a fool  
And he thinks he'll be okay  
Dragging on, feet of clay  
Never knowing he's astray  
Keeps on going anyway...  
_  
Against her better judgment, she whirls back to face him, her dress twirling with her.

"So that's your line."

His eyebrows furrow, confused.

"I'm not sure what you - "

"I mean, that's your line, that's what you're going to use to reel me back in? The new year?"

Her voice increases in volume as her anger begins to boil.

"Sonny, I - "

"You know what I think? To hell with the new year! To hell with it all! I mean, who cares about a kiss at midnight? Who cares about crying yourself to sleep? Who cares about being happy? To hell with it!"

She's shaking now, tears falling down her face and her makeup smearing almost comically.

He takes hold of her hands, keeping her from throwing something until her tremors subside.

When she speaks again, her voice is thick with tears and regret.

"Chad, I didn't - I don't - "

"I know. It's been a tough last couple of weeks."

She meets his eyes now, truly looks at him, and she can see that he's as torn up as she is.

They're broken, both of them.

How did everything go so wrong?

She doesn't realize she has spoken aloud until he replies.

"It was my fault."

"No, it was mine," she says quickly.

His eyes flash with something she can't name, and then, in the blink of an eye, it's gone.

"Of course. Arguing. That's how it went wrong."

_Happy new year  
Happy new year  
May we all have a vision now and then  
Of a world where every neighbour is a friend  
Happy new year  
Happy new year  
May we all have our hopes, our will to try  
If we don't we might as well lay down and die  
You and I  
_  
She closes her eyes momentarily, breathing slowly.

"We never trusted each other."

His voice is quiet, the words no louder than a whisper.

"I tried to change. I tried to be what you wanted me to be...and it wasn't working."

Her eyes are shut tightly now, trying to block him out.

Trying to keep the truth at bay.

"You wanted me to be perfect. And when I wasn't, you left me."

Though his words are harsh, his tone isn't. It's no more than a murmur, a desire to open her eyes to their past.

"You've left me many times. But we're still here, Sonny, on a day full of beginnings and promise. I'm still here."

"Stop it."

He inhales sharply, startled by her terse words.

"What?"

She blinks her eyes open deliberately, restoring the room back to its usual appearance as her eyes adjust.

"I said, stop it. I don't want to hear it, Chad."

He's still confused, his lips pursing.

"You don't want to hear - "

"I know I've screwed up. I know I'm an awful person. I know it's New Year's Day and I should be ready to begin again. But I can't."

Finally grasping what she means, he shakes his head ruefully.

"I don't want you to begin again, Sonny."

She throws her hands into the air, frustrated.

"Then what do you want?"

He takes her hands once more, bringing one against his heart.

"I want you to have hope."

_Seems to me now  
That the dreams we had before  
Are all dead, nothing more  
Than confetti on the floor  
It's the end of a decade  
In another ten years time  
Who can say what we'll find  
What lies waiting down the line  
In the end of eighty-nine..._

He looks at her earnestly, those blue eyes trying to persuade her that this isn't the end of the road.

Life gets better than this.

(Does it, Chad? Does it really?)

"Does hope still exist?"

A lone tear slips down her cheek, and he wipes it away gently with his thumb.

"Of course it does."

"Does it exist for you and me?"

He swallows hard, something rising within him that he can't quite name.

"I think so. Do you?"

She looks at the hand of hers still covering his heart.

His steady pulse has picked up now, and it's almost as though she can feel her heart rate increase with it.

"_We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly_," she breathes out, still looking at her hand on his heart.

He lifts his eyebrows at the quote, intrigued.

"Is that so?"

She looks up at him with wide, uncertain eyes.

A corner of his mouth quirks into a smile as he pulls her in a little closer.

"Well, then, Sonny Munroe, I see you absolutely perfectly."

Without waiting for a response, he bends his head down and kisses her softly.

When he pulls away, his eyes are sparkling.

"Happy New Year, Sonny."

She can't help the large grin that begins to spread across her face.

"Happy New Year, Chad."

He wraps his arms around her, and she leans her head on his shoulder, content at last.

Perhaps the new year won't be so very bad after all.

_Happy new year  
Happy new year  
May we all have a vision now and then  
Of a world where every neighbour is a friend  
Happy new year  
Happy new year  
May we all have our hopes, our will to try  
If we don't we might as well lay down and die  
You and I_

A/N: There you have it ;) Reading it over, it's really rushed and sloppy, but oh well. xP The lyrics are from _Happy New Year, _by ABBA. And the random quote was from Sam Keen. I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season :P And to everyone on forum…I miss you already. xD

Happy New Year, my wonderful SWAC readers :D Review?


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